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It had begun, then.[break][break]

Steely storm clouds had begun swirling over the vast bay of Sootopolis and beyond, overtaking much of the strait bridging the mainland to their island city.[break][break]

Heavy rains began to patter against the water surrounding the sandy coast, unwittingly raising the sea level, burying the foothold they stood upon. They could not dwell here overly long.[break][break]

To see the League's armada moving up on Sootopolis was a daunting thing—he had not expected them to field so many ships. There were other dangers, too, but this one had shaken his resolve as they passed the narrows towards Sootopolis. His heart fluttered once.[break][break]

Cillian had been right to shore up the coast.[break][break]

Adrian and Rowan had landed here purposefully; the surrounding STONJOURNER were placed here by himself and others to safeguard the city from a naval approach. He walks up to one such creature, a Stonjourner of his own, and gives it a gentle pat. The creature's weathered surface has deepened in color, perhaps due to the moisture or some growth, he couldn't say...[break][break]

But they did not have the luxury of time—in the distance, more STONJOURNER had accosted a League vessel attempting to slip past their line. Luckily, their ship was hearty enough to take the blows. But they were likely taking on water...[break][break]

"They're trying to break through." Adrian stood there, stunned. Nothing came naturally. Perhaps his own instincts were tied up, as he yet struggled to come to terms with his lot.[break][break]

"Stonjourner, throw out more stealth rocks."[break][break]

If they wanted to land on this stretch of sand, he would make them fight for it every inch of it.

[attr="class","bottom"]ADRIAN'S SEA GARB[break]STONJOURNER used STEALTH ROCK![break]

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<sub>+ 10 MP per IC post in your prelude thread.[break]
+ 50 MP have your character experience great fear.</sub>

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Over there, then?[break][break]

Jets of water punched through several Stonjourner, taking chunks out of two along the northern bank. Just then the mist rolled in, but he'd already known enough to see where they'd made landfall. Even if obscured, he would be able to target their latest known position along the beaches...[break][break]

Something ahead disrupted the mists.[break][break]

This only affirmed their position. Directing the fortifying STONJOURNER with a gesture of his arm, the remaining few in their column would begin sending a barrage of stones; ROCK THROW would pierce through the veil of dissipating mist somewhat undetected, pelting pokemon and people indiscriminately.[break][break]

Adrian raises a hand to stall his personal STONJOURNER. "NO. Not yet."[break][break]

He wished to see more. Whatever came out of the fog, he would be waiting. There was a certain gravity to the situation, wondering what would come rushing from out of the fog...[break][break]

In the interim, Rowan could make use of his STONJOURNER's POWER SPOT.

[break]

[attr="class","bottom"]ADRIAN'S SEA GARB[break]NPC STONJOURNER used ROCK THROW*![break]ADRIAN waits for their approach (PREPARING)

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_{+ 10 MP per IC post in your prelude thread.}

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"Mm."[break][break]

He couldn't pull Rowan back—and admittedly, it made him reluctant to carry out his anticipated next move. Instead he watched from afar, hoping to whittle them down—there was ultimately one problem, a thorn at his side. Adrian reached for another pokeball, releasing another companion readily.[break][break]

The Stonjourner were being decimated, possibly due to the heavy rainfall. Expectable.[break][break]

"Stonjourner, WIDE GUARD."[break][break]

No more of those sweeping attacks...[break][break]

Still, the trainer continued pushing up along the beach. If it was bait, Adrian had went right for it; he directs the attention of remaining Stonjourner to fixate on the duplicates:[break][break]

"Scour the beach with ROCK SLIDE!"[break][break]

A fussilade of earthen material churns up from beneath the sands, rolling forward towards the DRAGALGE DOUBLE TEAM to break up the formation. And if he could pinpoint it, then...[break][break]

"THAT ONE—DARK PULSE." The Greninja released at his side would single out a target, isolating it within its mind's eye...[break][break]

[break][break]

After culling the meek, they could seek the one.

[attr="class","bottom"]ADRIAN'S SEA GARB[break]STONJOURNER used WIDE GUARD*![break]NPC STONJOURNER used ROCK SLIDE![break]GRENINJA used DARK PULSE @ DRAGALGE[break]^{Chance to Flinch + Power Spot + STAB}

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Rowan Wrynn[break]Oliver Shrakes Laurence Anderson[break]

<sub>+ 10 MP per IC post in your prelude thread.[break]
+ 50 MP showcase your own character's strength(s) meaningfully.[break]
+ 50 MP have your character indirectly spotlight another character's strengths.²</sub>

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"TCH."[break][break]

From out of the mist, BRELOOM makes sweeping strikes at GRENINJA—dealing a telling blow. By a hair's breadth is it able to avoid succumbing to injury, but it bears the marks of its struggle. Its body trembles where it was struck...[break][break]

Very quickly their STONJOURNER are being overwhelmed. Adrian's feet slosh in the rising tide. He's looking for a quick gain and to cut his losses—and he can see the way forward.[break][break]

"Get it together, GRENINJA."[break][break]

The pokemon is clearly more than a little fazed—its wits have been knocked out of it. But he trusts the creature to make itself useful before being forced to withdraw. Adrian backs away, and his STONJOURNER heaves itself out of the sand, entering the fray at Adrian's gesturing.[break][break]

"Bind BRELOOM with your tongue!"[break][break]

The fleshy appendage would dart out as it unfurled from around its neck, lashing out at BRELOOM, hoping to bind it within the paralyzing swathe of its tongue.[break][break]

"STONJOURNER," he calls out as it lumbers over as if on stilts, towering over the battle.[break][break]

"SELF-DESTRUCT!"

[attr="class","bottom"]ADRIAN'S SEA GARB[break]GRENINJA used LICK @ BRELOOM[break]^{Chance to Paralyze + Power Spot + STAB}[break]STONJOURNER used SELF-DESTRUCT![break]^{GRENINJA's PROTEAN renders it IMMUNE}

Rowan Wrynn[break]Oliver Shrakes Laurence Anderson[break]

<sub>+ 10 MP per IC post in your prelude thread.[break]
+ 50 MP have your character make a regrettable decision.[break]
+ 25 MP for knocking out another Pokemon in your prelude thread.</sub> *[break]
_{+ 50 MP for getting your Pokemon knocked out in your prelude thread.}